Dear Room for Discussion Community,

A new semester is underway, and Room for Discussion returns with a new line-up of interviews in February.

This month’s programme features discussions on wealth taxation and the taxation of the ultra-rich, diplomacy under authoritarian rule in the context of Palestine, the limits of European monetary and fiscal integration, the governance of business and human rights in Myanmar, and the relationship between money, debt, climate, and democracy.

Room for Discussion is now also open for applications! We are looking for interviewers and marketing officers. Our applications close at midnight on February 22nd!

Are you passionate about economics, politics and societal issues? Looking for the chance to interview prominent figures like Christine Lagarde, Thomas Piketty, Charles Michel, or Rob Jetten live on stage?

If that sounds exciting, you’ll also love our borrels, social events, and the chance to connect with like-minded people. If you have any questions or just want to chat, join us for a borrel in Krater on February 3rd and 19th, from 18:00 to 20:00! All the beer you want is on us!

https://roomfordiscussion.com/apply/

As always, our interviews are open to everyone, with space to ask your own questions during the conversation. Keep an eye on our website and social media, for a continually updated overview of our full line-up and details. We look forward to seeing you back in the E-Hall this February.

Upcoming Interviews – What Do We Have in Store for February?

Tax the rich! Sure, but how? - A discussion with Gabriel Zucman

2nd of February, 12:30-13:30, E-hall Roeterseiland campus

“The billionaires’ nightmare”, “rockstar economist”, or “far-left activist”, Professor Gabriel Zucman goes by many names.

With Elon Musk approaching trillionaire status, public debt accelerating, and far-right parties threatening democratic institutions, a growing consensus is emerging that economic inequality has reached unsustainable levels. The crucial question is no longer why the rich should be taxed, but how.

Gabriel Zucman is one of the world’s foremost experts on economic inequality, tax havens, and wealth taxation. Having taken up the torch from Thomas Piketty, he has become a leading voice in the global movement to tax ultra-wealthy individuals and multinational corporations that systematically avoid taxation.

Join us for a conversation on what may be one of the most consequential policy debates of our era. This is an interview you don’t want to miss!

Words and Weapons - A discussion with Ammar Hijazi, Head of the Palestinian Mission to the Netherlands

3rd of February, 13:00-14:00,  E-hall Roeterseiland campus

Palestinian diplomacy operates under conditions unlike almost any other. Without formal recognition from the Netherlands, the Palestinian Mission must rely on legal arguments, international institutions, and language itself in a political landscape where others wield overwhelming military power.

These constraints shape every aspect of how Palestine is represented internationally, even amid ongoing genocide.

Together with Ammar Hijazi, we explore what it means to represent Palestine today. How can law compete with force? Where does diplomacy reach its limits? And what might the future of Palestine look like?

The Original Sinn - The Limits to European Integration with Hans-Werner Sinn

10th of February, 13:00-14:00,  E-hall Roeterseiland campus

Fifteen years after the Eurozone crisis, Europe faces renewed pressure, surging public debt, climate risk, geopolitical instability, and persistent reliance on monetary intervention. The need for reform is widely acknowledged, but in which direction?

Is deeper integration the solution, or the problem? Can a monetary union survive without a fiscal one, and if not, who bears the cost?

As transatlantic ties weaken and Europe navigates an increasingly multipolar world, economic questions collide with geopolitical realities. Is federalisation the price of relevance, or an unrealistic ambition in a union marked by divergent interests, asymmetric shocks, and rising euroscepticism?

To unpack these questions, we welcome Hans-Werner Sinn, one of the most prominent and uncompromising critics of European monetary and fiscal architecture. Drawing on his role during the Eurozone crisis and his opposition to key ECB policies, he offers a candid assessment of what has changed and what has not.

From Statecraft to Standards: Governing Business and Human Rights in Myanmar - A conversation with Vicky Bowman

16th of February, 13:00-14:00,  E-hall Roeterseiland campus

Myanmar remains one of the world’s most repressive states. Political prisoners fill its jails, civil freedoms are crushed, and the military junta presses ahead with sham elections while defending itself at the International Court of Justice.

What responsibilities can foreign governments and businesses realistically pursue in such a context? Who is tasked with upholding international human rights standards, and what happens when those individuals themselves become targets?

Join us for a compelling conversation with Vicky Bowman, former UK Ambassador to Myanmar and Director of the now-closed Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business. Drawing on her experience as a diplomat, business adviser, and former political prisoner of the junta, Bowman offers rare, firsthand insight into the real cost of defending human rights under authoritarian rule.

As Myanmar faces an uncertain future with no clear path to democracy or peace, this is a timely and urgent discussion on power, accountability, and the consequences of resistance.

Appetite for Change - A conversation with Ann Pettifor

17th of February, 13:00-14:00,  E-hall Roeterseiland campus

We are living through overlapping crises, a cost-of-living crisis, climate breakdown, and growing political disillusionment. These challenges are often treated as separate, but what if they stem from the same underlying system?

We are excited to welcome Ann Pettifor, political economist and author of The Production of Money, The Case for the Green New Deal, and The Global Casino, for a conversation on money, debt, climate, and democracy.

Ann famously predicted the 2008 financial crisis. Join us to explore how financial systems shape political possibilities, why climate-vulnerable countries remain trapped by debt, and what it would mean to bring money back under democratic control.

We are looking forward to seeing you at our events this February. Until then, stay engaged and stay interested!

Sincerely,
The Room for Discussion Team

Creators of this month’s newsletter:
Writer: Ricardo Willering Fajardo
Marketing Officer: Hunter Hong